Pappy Van Winkle 20 Year Bourbon (First Release After Green Glass, 2002)

When Buffalo Trace first approached Julian III, he was honored but not immediately interested. While he had ample bourbon aging, his concern was securing future reserves, especially as bourbon was growing in popularity. In 1999, Buffalo Trace acquired the W.L. Weller label and had been making bourbon with a nearly identical recipe to Pappy’s. The transition to Buffalo Trace producing the Van Winkle bourbons in May 2002 was seamless, allowing Old Rip Van Winkle to uphold their high-quality standards while increasing production for future enjoyment.